AUS vs PAK: Spectators Ejected from Stadium After Displaying Banner Showing Same Message as Usman Khawaja's Shoes

Spectators displaying a banner carrying message Usman Khawaja was banned from writing on his shoes for the Perth Test were reportedly evicted on the fourth day of the series opener between Australia and Pakistan.

In the lead up to the Test, Australia opener Khawaja wanted to display a couple of messages – “All Lives are equal” and “Freedom is a human right” on his shoes which he wore before the contest began.

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The messages were in support of those suffering from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.

However, the ICC denied him the permission as it went against its clothing and equipment rules and regulations stating “approval shall not be granted for messages which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes.”

As per various reports, a spectator at the Perth Stadium on Sunday unfurled a banner that read the same message as that Khawaja wrote on his shoes.

Earlier this year, during the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Ahmedabad, a spectator managed to breach the security to enter the field wearing a T-shirt bearing message of support for Palestine. The man was escorted out of the venue before being arrested.

Australia captain Pat Cummins supported Khawaja.

“Uzzie doesn’t want to make too big of a fuss. On his shoes he had ‘All lives are equal’. I think that’s not very divisive. I don’t think anyone can really have too many complaints about that,” Cummins had said during a media interaction.

“I think it’s one of our strongest points in our team is that everyone has their own passionate views and individual thoughts and I chatted to Uzzie briefly about it today. And I don’t think his intention is to make too big of a fuss, but we support him. I think what was on the shoes, ‘All lives are equal’, I support that,” he added.

Khawaja though did play with a black armband on his left arm.

“I’m a grown man, I can do anything I want, but the ICC will just keep coming down and giving me fines and at some point it will detract from the game. I stand by what I said, I’ll stand by it I think forever, but for me I also need to go out there and focus on what I’m doing. But it’s right at the forefront of my mind,” Khawaja had said.